QUINCE

Smyrna

 Selection from Turkey. Quinces have made a comeback, used for their excellent processing qualities, in jellies, jams, preserves and as a baked desert. They’re great stewed with apple. This one has very large fruit, golden yellow very aromatic fruit of excellent quality. Self-fertile.

Van Dieman

Fruit large, oblong pear shaped bright yellow orange, flesh pale yellow with a good spicy flavour; early ripening and heavy bearer.

Scotts Old Fashioned

These are the quinces that were in all of the old orchards I’ve ever been in. Stewed quince and apple was a staple from my childhood, baked honeyed quinces are pretty wonderful for an easy desert, with a little cream an they’re easy to grow, needing no attention to speak of! Self fertile.

TEA

This camellia sinensis, the traditional tea bush from which leaves are plucked to make all kinds of tea, black English tea, green tea, kukicha, chai etc It is easy enough to grow your own and process the leaves according to how you like to drink it.  Tea bushes are camellias and need similar conditions to do well.